Denile Ain't Just a River
by SkyChasingDreamer
Summary: A kind of forbidden love during a time where it's okay to walk around mostly naked. AU FIC.


**Title**: Denile Ain't Just a River  
**Pairing**: Gintoki/Hijikata  
**Rating**: T  
**Disclaimer**: No  
**A/N**: For Lavi again and always

**Denile Ain't Just a River**

When Gintoki walks into the room, Hijikata doesn't react. He keeps his eyes forward, his grip tight on his spear, and he doesn't dare steal a peek. The sound of armor clinking as the newcomers walk resounds off the walls and even louder in Hijikata's ears, he's been waiting for this ever since the group had left, Gintoki with them.

Hijikata's standing outside the door to the throne room, keeping guard as he's supposed to with Yamazaki on the other side. He's outfitted in the required attire of his position, which is a silken wrap around skirt that's braided at the waist and pleated in the front. He's not wearing a shirt, but has enough customary jewelry to make up for it. He's got a few rings, a golden plate around his neck, gold bands around his wrists and biceps, a pair of earrings with a cuff around his right ear, and adorning his brow is a thin gold band that dips in the middle to form a V and is mostly hidden by his hair. He even has to wear makeup, like the coal that's around his eyes. Needless to say, he hadn't joined the guard for the appearance.

When the group gets closer, their voices not something he's paying attention to, Hijikata lets his eyes slide over. Takasugi looks as greasy and sinister as ever even with just one eye and Hijikata is inexorably unimpressed. The other two are slightly more subdued than usual in that the freakishly tall one isn't laughing as obnoxiously. Gintoki, well, he just looks bored and they all look filthy.

They're mad dogs, each and every one of them... except Gintoki, he's a whole new breed of the term. They're the ones that get their hands dirty, that do the jobs no one else wants and they each have their own specialties. Most of the time they work as a group, but it's not uncommon for one or all of them to be sent out solo. They're each known for something, like Katsura showing up on that psychotic white horse of his – if it's even a horse, some people aren't so convinced.

But Gintoki is Hijikata's only concern and as far as he knows, Gintoki's a ghost. He doesn't get caught, he doesn't cause a scene. He goes in, does his job, and is gone before anyone even knows something happened. It does come down to hand to hand combat when there's more than one of them and Hijikata knows Gintoki's lethal with a sword. But Gintoki's different than the rest, though, it'd taken Hijikata an embarrassing amount of time to notice. It'd started with little things like catching Gintoki slipping food to orphans and dropping money in front of haggard elders. And the first time Gintoki refused to punish a man when he'd been ordered to was like a slap in the face. Truth is, Gintoki's a loose canon, but one too valuable to lose and too dangerous to mess with.

"Open up already, I'm hungry," Takasugi commands and Gintoki's eyes flicks over to Hijikata.

He looks away to stare straight ahead. "Have you forgotten how to open a door?"

"I'm too tired for this, someone open the fucking door."

"What? Too short to reach the handle?" Gintoki asks.

Sakamoto bursts out into a loud laugh. "We've been awake way too long, I'll get it."

The hefty door gets pulled open and three of the four walk through. Hijikata squints over and raises a brow at Katsura, fully armored, and appears to be asleep on his feet.

"C'mon, we don't have time for this," Takasugi snaps, reappearing to grab the tie of Katsura's cloak and tote him away, the door closing with a bang after them.

-o-O-o-

It's night now, Hijikata's done for the day and hurrying off to his room, but not too quickly, he doesn't want to draw attention to himself. He's hoping Gintoki's already inside waiting for him, but he knows the first day back is always busy for him. He gets to his floor using the marble staircase and follows the corridor down to take the first left. Most everyone is still at dinner, but Hijikata isn't all that hungry, he'd just shoved a few rolls into his mouth and called that a meal before hightailing it out of there.

Reaching his room, he tries the handle and smirks – the door is already unlocked. He runs a quick hand through his hair – it's stupid that he still gets butterflies after being together for so long – and takes a breath to calm his pounding heart. Opening the door, he finds Gintoki kicking off his shoes and toeing them away.

He looks over his shoulder and grins. "Perfect timing! Help me get this shit off, I've been in it too long."

"And a hello to you, too," Hijikata replies, closing the door and locking it.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. I'll greet you properly when I get outta this stuff, it's starting to hurt."

Well, that changes things and makes him wonder just how long Gintoki's been wearing it – he doesn't want to ask. Going right over to him, Hijikata runs his hands over the buckle in the front at his waist and starts undoing it. The metal belt is heavy and clanks when it falls to the floor. He walks around Gintoki then and unbuckles all the small straps so he can lift the weighty shoulder plates off, the cape going along with it. The rest is easily pushed away until Hijikata is running his hands over the scarred expanse of Gintoki's back. The blemishes are mostly faded now, he's had them so long – or so he'd told Hijikata – and though Gintoki had never really touched on their origins, he had confessed to them being the result of a lashing.

A vicious one, Hijikata had concluded when he'd first seen them, for they'd cut so deep that Gintoki barely had any feeling in some areas. Hijikata knows, he'd taken the time to test each one from licks to kisses to bites to scratches. Some are super sensitive, most, in fact, a few are mostly unresponsive, and one is completely numb, the nerves cut so thoroughly severed they'll never feel sensation again.

"Yes," Gintoki groans, rolling his shoulders, "that's so much better. One of these days carrying that heavy shit around is going to make my back bow."

"You sound... like a giant whiny pansy."

Gintoki grins and turns. "It's comments like those that tell me you missed me." His eyes lower and slowly travel back up, his grin tempering. "You look well."

"Looks can be deceiving."

Something brittle flashes over Gintoki's face, but Hijikata can't look at it too long because in the next moment, Gintoki is kissing him. Not just kissing him, but pulling at the back of his thighs, lifting him up off his feet where he can wrap his legs around a strong waist, and walking them forward until his back hits a wall.

-o-O-o-

"You still blushed," Gintoki informs him as he sits in front of Hijikata in the bath. "You were fine until I glanced at you, then you lost your composure a little bit."

"I'll be sure to keep working on that, asshole."

Hijikata's on his knees in the murky water – bath salts, they're good for the skin – and he feels so content, almost lethargic, having Gintoki with him again. And he's glad the basin used as his bath is large enough to easily fit two grown men and even give them room to move around. A nice room, a large bed, luxurious bath, all perks of being a part of protecting the royal family. Gintoki's room, however, is hardly a room at all. Hijikata's seen it once before and it's pretty much a hole in the wall with a straw bed covered by a blanket. It's not just Gintoki, either, all the four have terrible living conditions and it'd been that day Hijikata had learned why that was. But that was too somber a topic, Hijikata just wants to focus on Gintoki and having him back in one piece.

"Did you get new oils?"

"I did, got tired of the old ones, so decided it was time to try new ones," Hijikata replies, plucking out the clear bottle. "This one is yours, don't touch either of the others. Got that?"

"I think I can manage to remember that."

Hijikata pours some of the oil into his palm and puts the bottle back so he can rub his hands together. He starts at Gintoki's shoulders and navigates from there, going to his back and getting most of it done before pouring more oil out. He finishes the back and reaches forward to do Gintoki's chest, his body tuned with his lover's the whole time. Each sound – sigh, groan, grunt, none of it is lost on Hijikata, he's been missing it too much to dare take a single thing for granted.

Last is Gintoki's neck and head, the hair being one of the most important parts because the oil tames Gintoki's curls and makes them shine with a healthier glow than the frizzy split ends he always ends up with. When he's done, he grabs a bucket and fills it up to pour it over Gintoki's bowed head. He does that a few times, pausing in between to let Gintoki scrub his arms and legs clean. There are no new wounds Hijikata can see and his relief is palpable.

"Aww, don't think I'd forget about you," Gintoki says and turns halfway around to slip an arm around Hijikata's waist and pull him over.

Hijikata goes with it and ends up straddling Gintoki's lap, which really isn't a bad place to be. He doesn't think about it, he just wraps his arms around Gintoki's shoulders, closes his eyes, and presses his mouth to kiss along his lover's jaw. One of Gintoki's hands slides down between Hijikata's cheeks, spreading him, then sinking into him in a way that makes him gasp. He doesn't mean to let out the sound, but he honestly can't help himself, not when it comes to Gintoki. And with Gintoki's fingers moving inside of him the way they are, even if it's just to clean him out, he's hopeless when it comes to keeping quiet.

"This water is putting me to sleep," Gintoki says while Hijikata pants to get his breath back.

"Can't have you drowning, let's get to bed."

Gintoki gets out first and dries off using one of the fresh towels already laid out. Hijikata finishes with a quick wash and follows, taking the towel Gintoki tosses to him. Neither bother putting on any clothes and Gintoki, the useless lump, falls onto the bed and unceremoniously makes a place for himself. Hijikata slides in next to him with more finesse and snorts when he's pulled over and burrowed into, Gintoki's head coming to rest on his shoulder.

"There is no feeling better than this," Gintoki voices so softly it's but a whisper.

"That's disgusting, you incredible sap."

"I'm telling you, getting into bed after a bath is the shit! Or... I guess, for this time period, it's the bee's knees, it's most acceptable or whatever the fuck. What? Why are you looking at me like that? You didn't think _you _were the reason it feels good? Ha! Sorry, you're in a for disappointment lover boy."

Hijikata's nose curls. "Lover boy."

"Do you prefer princess?"

"Shuddap, you always talk too much."

"So, give me a reason to shut up."

And Hijikata _does_.

**THE END**


End file.
